Immigration, Coverage of

Development

Immigration is a perpetual subject of news stories in the United States. Mainstream outlets at times have embraced newcomers, and the labor and other capital they bring, while at other times the news media have characterized immigrants as spoilers who deprive Americans of economic well-being, and threaten to erode the “American way of life.” More nuanced journalistic representations, particularly since 1980, have tackled fundamental issues, including how U.S. foreign policy has contributed to the arrival of refugees and asylum-seekers, the development of immigration reform legislation, and the impact of legal and [Page 739]illegal immigration on local communities and industries.

An overriding contemporary theme has been the explosion in U.S. immigration. In 2005, foreign-born residents in the United States made up 12.4 percent of the population, according to Census figures, up from 4.7 percent in 1970. University of California, Irvine, demographer Frank D. Bean estimated that in 2001, there were 7.8 million illegal immigrants in the United States and that of those, 4.5 million were from Mexico. Researchers suggest that the illegal population has continued to grow since then.

Journalists have sought to address the presence of new immigrant populations in locations in states like Idaho, North Carolina, and Nebraska. One continuing challenge for journalists is attempting to quantify the numbers of residents who did not secure proper government authorization to enter the U.S. Census figures may address only the official record, and make only a broad approximation of the invisible, undocumented immigrants. Resourceful reporters know to cross-check those numbers with input from community institutions, such as churches, social service agencies, and schools.

News coverage of immigration challenges the ethics of journalism in several ways and raises important questions about the practice of journalism. Among these questions are whether journalists are too protective of their sources when they use pseudonyms for people who may well be deported if their true name is published; when and whether it is necessary to report the actions and reactions of a small group, such as the antiimmigrant Minute Men, for the purposes of offering an “opposing viewpoint”; whether Hispanic reporters identify too strongly with Latin American immigrants; and when the fact of a person's citizenship, or residency status, is relevant to a news story.

Immigrant Ethnic News Operations

It is commonplace for news publications to emerge from immigrant communities, serving as a bridge between the newcomers and their adopted country, providing news from back home, as well as orienting them to their new country's ways. These immigrant ethnic newspapers are often initiated to fill a gap in information provided by the mainstream news outlets in the same market. At various times, these ethnic immigrant presses have served other functions as

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